McDonald's All American: West Recap

By Evan_Tomes

Sun, 04/02/2017 - 11:12pm

The West came away with the victory in a tight game, winning 109-107. It’s interesting that Troy Brown had a missed free throw attempt where the East bobbled it into their own basket which ended up taking on more meaning and could have been the difference in the two-point game. Anyway, despite the close game, the West showed more aggression with 30 more free throw attempts and 17 more rebounds (23 more on offense). Here is a recap of the West.

Michael PorterPorter didn’t knock down his jump shots going 0-4 from beyond the arc but utilized his size and athleticism around the basket to get his points. He tipped in a few using his quick second jump with four of his eight rebounds coming on the offensive end. He did look a bit frustrated with the lack of touches as teammates would try to score for themselves each play with little passing. Although he was asked to get most his points by himself rather than in a true offensive set with some flow to it, he led the team in scoring with 17 points to earn MVP.

Hands was in constant attack mode. He played hard each possession showing athleticism and body control when going full force. He made some nice lead passes on a few plays and finished with three assists and stood out keeping the defense on edge, driving at the sight of any gap. Eight of his 14 points came from the free throw line as he looks to initiate contact.

McCoy finished with 13 points but forced some shots going 3-12. He moves a bit stiff and doesn’t look comfortable making moves especially with any contact or tight defense. He’s still raw and didn’t always catch the ball cleanly. He had seven rebounds, also showing some defense with four blocks, including one to prevent the game from going into overtime in the final seconds, along with four steals.

Troy Brown and Trae YoungBrown had a very good week. He showed two things; he’s become more aggressive and his jump shot has improved. Both aspects show in his confidence and he has looked much better than when he lets the game come to him like we’ve seen in the past. Brown posted 12 points and seven rebounds (four offensive).

Although O’Bannon appears to have a loose approach, he’s very talented and confident in his game. He took some quick shots to earn ten points in 11 minutes of play. He only made one from three-point range but has shown in the past that he can heat up from outside. O’Bannon also ended the game with three rebounds and two assists.

Preston shot well all week. He took a lot of ball handling responsabilities but kept his dribbling to a minimal for the most part. He showed his ability to face up making both of his three-point attempts, including a step back. He connected when pulling up from midrange as well. Versatility has always been Preston’s greatest intrigue and he did an excellent job of displaying it this week.

Young was a bit trigger happy. It took him a while to get it going as he continued to chuck shots from NBA range but ended up connecting on three of his eight shots from deep. He had a few unforced turnovers trying to do too much at times finishing with five in the game. He connected with his MOKAN teammate on one play, ooping Porter from right inside half court. Young finished with nine points, four rebounds, and five assists.

Ayton didn’t have any plays where he made an advanced offensive move or showed his high skill level but stood out as a rebounder. He finished with a game high of 11 boards and nine came on the offensive end. Something I noticed on both of his defensive rebounds; he turned and threw an outlet pass before seeing the defense, one was intercepted and the other was deflected. That will be something he can look to improve upon moving forward. He missed all three of his three-point attempts and finished with eight points, all coming inside the paint and three steals defensively. Despite being complacent offensively this past year, Ayton has always been a stand out as a rebounder and defender.

Trent had a quiet game for someone who is used to taking most of his team’s shots. He only shot 1-5 from beyond the arc and 3-11 from the field to finish with seven points. Scoring is his biggest asset and when it isn’t working for him he still struggles to contribute in other ways. Trent’s only other stat was grabbing two rebounds.

Jackson’s only basket from the field came on a put back dunk. The other three came from free throws. Jackson had a solid two days of practice, competing on defense and showing some ability to shoot from deep. His jump shot starts low, sometimes he rushes it and pushes it from his chest before he gets into his shooting pocket, which allowed Mitchell Robinson to reject his three in the game. Jackson ended with five points and three rebounds.

Bowen had a rough shooting night going 1-6 on some quick pull ups, knocking down one from three in 14 minutes of play. He’s a talented offensive player but tends to rely on his natural ability too often as he still lacks ideal offensive technique. Bowen finished with three points, one rebound, and one assist.

Walker had trouble connecting as his only point came from the free throw line. He had a few good looks but failed to convert. He’s a good athlete and showed some combo ability finishing with four assists. He also grabbed four rebounds in game.